diff --git a/archivebox/util.py b/archivebox/util.py
index 2e1e4907..9b570ec9 100644
--- a/archivebox/util.py
+++ b/archivebox/util.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def download_url(url: str, timeout: int=None) -> str:
     timeout = timeout or TIMEOUT
 
     cookie_jar = http.cookiejar.MozillaCookieJar()
-    if COOKIES_FILE is not None:
+    if COOKIES_FILE and Path(COOKIES_FILE).is_file():
         cookie_jar.load(COOKIES_FILE, ignore_discard=True, ignore_expires=True)
     else:
         cookie_jar = None